North Fringe of Bristol facts for kids
The North Fringe of Bristol is a busy area in England. It's located just north of the main city of Bristol. This area is mostly developed with homes, shops, and businesses. It sits between Bristol's northern edge and two big roads called the M4 and M5 motorways. The M32 motorway usually marks its eastern side. The North Fringe is part of South Gloucestershire Council and is the northern part of the wider Greater Bristol area.
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How the North Fringe Grew Up
Before the big motorways were built in the 1960s and 1970s, this area looked quite different. It had smaller villages and towns like Filton, Patchway, and Stoke Gifford. There was also Stoke Park Hospital. In 1972, a train station called Bristol Parkway railway station opened in Stoke Gifford. Today, the main campus of the University of the West of England (UWE) is also located here, in an area called Frenchay.
Planning for Growth
Over time, more and more people wanted to live and work here. There was a big need for new homes, factories, offices, and large shopping centers outside the city. Because of this, the local council at the time, Northavon District Council, made a special plan in 1987. This plan helped decide where new buildings could go. It also agreed to remove some land from the "green belt" near Patchway Common. A green belt is an area of open land kept free from building to stop cities from spreading too much.
New Towns and Shopping Areas
After this planning, a brand new town called Bradley Stoke was built in the area. Around the same time, decisions were made to build huge shopping areas. One of the biggest is The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, which is right next to Junction 17 of the M5 motorway.
Jobs and Traffic
The North Fringe is a great place for businesses because it's easy to get to, being close to two major motorways and the big city of Bristol. This led to a lot of growth in homes and, especially, jobs during the 1980s and 1990s. This growth is still happening today. The first major business park here was Aztec West, near Junction 16 of the M5. By 2001, the North Fringe had over 67,000 jobs!
However, all this growth has also caused problems. The area now has serious road traffic jams. This is especially true on the main roads, the A4174 and A38, as well as on the motorways themselves.
Beyond the North Fringe
Sometimes, new developments just east of the North Fringe and the M32 motorway, like Emersons Green, are called the East Fringe of Bristol.
In October 2016, new plans were announced for a special bus service called MetroBus. These plans aim to make bus journeys faster in the area. One route connects Cribbs Causeway to Hengrove Park in south Bristol.
